Friday, October 29, 2010

Let Them Eat . . . Cupcakes!


Yesterday, my granddaughters Rylan (5) and Kinley (4) helped me make cupcakes for grandson Christian's 5th birthday.  Cooking is a big event when it's real and not in the let's-pretend, kid-sized kitchen.  Aprons on, chairs to the counter, measuring cups out, all supplies ready, electric mixer plugged in, oven preheating. 

Now there are certain steps that these two are always eager to do--lining the cupcake pan with colorful papers, squatting down to check that Grammy has measured ingredients to the correct line in the glass cup, slowly pouring the water and oil in the big bowl, taking a turn with the mixer (and licking leftover batter off the beaters, of course).  But adding eggs?  That's supposed to be Grammy Val's job. Nevertheless, I coaxed them into giving the old egg-cracking a try.  Rylan was willing to tap the egg on the metal bowl, but I had to finish the cracking and drop the raw egg into the cake mix ("because eggs are too messy").  Kinley was up for the whole adventure.  She tapped, she squished, egg ran over her hand, but she got it in the bowl.  


Kinley proceeded to give me a slimy high five, and started woo-hooing and dancing around the kitchen, declaring, "I'm telling Mommy I cracked an egg by myself!  Whew! I can crack eggs . . I have the best life!"

How do we get back there?  To those essential and elementary moments of discovery and joy--to those times when we realize that life is a beautiful gift, the best gift?  The Bible tells us that a little child shall lead them.

So, if today your life doesn't feel like it's all it's cracked up to be, make some cupcakes.  Get crackin!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

New Beginnings and Double Blessings

I've always wanted to have a blog, a place to save the special blessings and must-not-forget moments in life.  Now that I'm a grandma, the want has turned into a need.  If I don't write down the fresh and funny perspectives that children bring to everyday events, I won't remember them.  So I'll save them in Grandma's Hope Chest where I can always take a second look at the treasures God has given me and hope that others will open the lid and receive a blessing as well.

Grandchildren are a double blessing because God once again entrusts us with open minds, open hearts, and the budding spirits of His next generation of explorers.  We get to explore creation again with new eyes and new insights.  We teach and we are taught in the classroom of life.   We discover that we have five senses that need a workout and we have trainers sure to give us a good one!  We get to be wisely mature and innocently immature at the same time. We offer all that we are and receive all that we ever wanted.


Today's hope is that this new beginning will lead to an overflowing chest of magical memories, of sure-to-bring-a-smile stories, and stick-to-the-soul lessons.  I'm trusting that God will reveal those  jewels-in-the-rough He places on my daily path and prompt me to pick them up and place them in my hope chest blog.  Thanks, Jamie, for starting me on my way.